County Council declines to fill staff vacancies at county offices

Says penny-pinching is result of number of factors

EVANSVILLE - The cash-strapped Vanderburgh County Council declined to take action on several public-sector vacancies Wednesday, even as department heads reminded them that those positions were included in the 2012 budget.

"This isn't going to cost anything," said Vanderburgh County Clerk Susan Kirk, who asked County Council members to fill three vacancies.

"We're just teetering right now. Plus, we've got vacations coming up. So for us to wait, we're just asking for trouble."

The County Council eventually voted 5-2 to oppose Kirk's request, and she left the chambers abruptly. The County Council's stiff approach to the vacancies was for financial reasons, even though the money's there.

The issue is with unappropriated funds — money used for fuel, repairs and other expenses that members can't accurately forecast. Officials may choose not fill a vacancy and direct money to that fund.

"Last year around this time, we had an unappropriated balance of close to a half-million dollars," said Republican County Council President Tom Shetler, Jr. "As you recall, we had several requests for fuel, for food at the jail, for overtime and we spent that half-million dollars."

"This year, we know we're looking at something substantially less than that unappropriated half-million dollar balance."

In addition to deferring action on vacancies, County Council members also restricted all county-funded travel for public workers unless it's mandated by the state.

Superior Court Judge Robert Pigman said he'll soon need a court reporter and a bailiff. Vanderburgh County Circuit Court also has a vacancy. And Lead Veterans Service Officer Paul Dupont, who's looking for a secretary, said his two-person office has been down one employee for about two years.

"I don't know what to tell them anymore," Dupont said to County Council members last week, referring to veterans who are unhappy with the logjam there.

Council members declined Kirk's request and tabled the other requests until it receives its 2012 financial statement from Vanderburgh County Auditor Joe Gries. It should get that in about 10 days and will revisit the vacancies at its April 4 meeting.

Kirk, who described her situation as "critical," told County Council members that filling positions will save them money.

She was referring to a retiree whose salary is about $10,000 more than the entry salary the county will have to pay.

Councilmen Pete Swain and Ed Bassemier motioned to approve the County Clerk's vacancies — misdemeanor/traffic ($22,451 salary), a certified mail clerk for circuit/superior court ($22,451) and a cashier for the child support division ($32,264) — but no one else concurred.

Shetler said the County Council's penny-pinching resulted from a combination of factors, namely the state's property tax cap three years ago and the economic downturn.